MAN AND HUMANISM No doubt many people may not be abreast with what humanism entails. According to Corliss Lamont,a spokesman for the philosophy of humanism,humanism is a philosophy of joyous service for the greater good of all humanity in the natural world.This,no doubt,is a compendious definition of humanism within which are included a large number of propositions which include but not limited to: 1.A belief in a natural metaphysics or attitude toward the universe that considers all forms of the supernatural as myth; 2.The reposing of ultimate faith in man in the belief that human beings possess the power to solve their own problems without reliance on any other power to help them; 3.The belief that human beings possess genuine freedom of choice and action.In opposition to any theories of universal determinism,fatalism or predestination,humanism clearly maintains that man is the master of his own destiny; 4.The belief in a moral system which bases all human values on the pursuit of worldly happiness,freedom and progress; 5.The belief in a social programme that stands for the establishment throughout the world of democracy,peace and a high standard of living founded on a flourishing economic order,etc. Humanism teaches that it is immoral for human beings to wait for God to act for them.They are imbued with powers of a remarkable kind with a high degree of freedom in choosing what to do. It is very obvious that humanism appear to repudiate religious or theistic beliefs and practices built on them.This,to humanists,is from the viewpoint that men have but one life to lead and should make the most of it in terms of creative work and happiness;that human happiness is of its own jurisdiction with justification and requires no sanction or support from supernatural sources;that in any case the supernatural,usually conceived of in the form of heavenly God or moral heavens does not exist,and human beings,using their own intelligence and cooperating liberally with one another,can build an enduring citadel of peace and beauty upon this earth. Thus,humanism,plus or minus,is a man-centred philosophy that sets the grandiose plan of helping man to realise his paradise here on earth,since there can be no other paradise. Now agreeing without conceding,can we sincerely say that humanism being what it appears to be is of any practical relevance in life?I dont think humanism has practical potency for men.It is deceptive and misleading.Where is the democracy?Where is the peace?Where is the economic prosperity?Right now Russia is up against Ukraine.The world has existed for over 2,000 years now and we have had histories of wars,crises,economic sabotage,disunity etc.all by men against men.Where then was the impact of humanism?In America there is the American Association of Humanism and that same America went to war with Iraq and other places.Then is there any essence of American Association of Humanism? What manner of academic discipline will teach students that there is no heavenly God and moral heavens all in the name of humanism?It is high time Philosophy that houses humanism be thrown out of Nigerian Universities as a course of study.It is not of help to the contemporary Nigerian society.The National Assembly should pass a bill into law stopping Philosophy from being studied in Nigerian Universities.Enough should be enough.To the best of my mind it is a completely useless course. A candidate who filled in Law,Political Science,Sociology etc.in Jamb but could not make it will be given Philosophy to study through supplimentary admission only for him to study it and graduate and go back to his parents to argue that there is no God.How does that help the parents?How will that help his children he will succeed to brainwash?How does that help Nigeria? Some Nigerian youths should not be misled again in the name of academic discipline.Man alone cannot achieve anything without God.Humanism my foot for all I care.
Posted on: Mon, 24 Mar 2014 20:53:11 +0000